This morning I was looking at an interesting piece of early Chicago ephemera. A general information booklet for The Chicago Turn-Gemeinde School for Physical Training, North Side Turner Hall, 820 North Clark Street, Chicago. A Turner Hall was a gymnasium, theater and social club for German immigrants. Their belief was that a strong mind and body will provide everything a man needed to survive in his new home, the United States.
Besides physical training, the building of the mind took on an extremely politicized ideal that was very pro-union and anti-business. Much of Chicago's progressive movement grew out of these Socialist clubs. As I understand it, today, the few remaining Turners are strictly sports oriented particularly in youth activities in the historic German neighborhoods. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, ice hockey and baseball have replaced calisthenics, gymnastics, fencing, medicine balls and Indian Clubs. I particularly like the advertisement for a sporting goods store inside the back cover. The proprietor is holding a fencing epee.
Besides physical training, the building of the mind took on an extremely politicized ideal that was very pro-union and anti-business. Much of Chicago's progressive movement grew out of these Socialist clubs. As I understand it, today, the few remaining Turners are strictly sports oriented particularly in youth activities in the historic German neighborhoods. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, ice hockey and baseball have replaced calisthenics, gymnastics, fencing, medicine balls and Indian Clubs. I particularly like the advertisement for a sporting goods store inside the back cover. The proprietor is holding a fencing epee.
This piece is available for purchase here
